1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to food and drink containers. The present invention relates more specifically to a food container with a foldable condiment holder.
2. Description of Related Art
One characteristic of American-culture is the availability of popular xe2x80x9cfast food,xe2x80x9d or prepared foods. Most fast food restaurants, and other restaurants as well, often use disposable paperboard containers for various food products. Such food containers have several characteristics due to the economical consideration of the fast food business. First, the food container should be able to be stackable and nestable for easy shipping, handling and shelfing. Second, the food container should have capacity to hold both a primary or principal food product and a secondary food product such as a condiment or sauce so that the primary food product can be fully enjoyed by consumers. Third, the food container should be economical to make, simply to use, and easily disposable after use.
Previously known paperboard food containers with capacity to contain both primary foods and condiments typically can be divided into two groups. The first group includes food containers that have pockets or compartments to receive condiments therein. The second group includes food containers that have a fixed condiment holder to receive a separate cup having condiments therein. Either way, the condiments compartments/holders are not an integral and inherent part of the food containers. Instead, they are either separate elements mounted to the food container or complicated surface structures, which require extra care and labor to manufacture and thus increase material and manufacturing costs. Moreover, extra surface structures may negatively affect the nestability and stackability of the food containers.
Thus it can be seen that a need exists for a food container that has the capacity to hold both a primary substance and a secondary substance, which overcomes the disadvantages of previously known food containers.
The food container of the present invention provides a number of improvements over previously known containers for holding both a primary substance and a second substance, such as an associated condiment substance. For example, the container of the present invention provides a foldable condiment holder by means of a lip extending from the front panel of the food container described in greater detail below. This lip has an opening sized to receive and hold a separate, commercially available condiment cup. Because the food container is made from paperboard or similar foldable or bendable material, the lip can be easily folded from its original position wherein it is juxtaposed to the surface of the container to its operative or second position to receive therein a condiment cup. In particular, the original position is a substantially vertical position, and the operative or second position is substantially horizontal relative to the food container to receive the condiment cup. This simplified lip structure eliminates the more complicated structure of the previously known containers and thus reduces material and assembly costs, resulting in a more commercially viable product. The container of the present invention is easy and convenient for consumers to use, has an attractive shelf appearance, is nestable for ease of shipping and handling and reduced shelf space requirements, and provides large visible surface areas for the display of point-of-sale marketing features.
Briefly described, one aspect of the present invention provides a food container with a foldable holder for holding both a primary food product and a secondary food product. The food container has a substantially upright sidewall portion having a back panel, an opposing front panel cooperating with the back panel to form a cavity with two ends, with one of the ends having a bottom portion extending from the back panel to the front panel. The bottom portion has an interior face and an exterior face, where the interior face of the bottom portion closes the cavity at one end to define an interior volume for receiving a primary substance therein. It is understood that the term xe2x80x9ccavityxe2x80x9d encompasses any cylindrical or non-cylindrical shape or configuration. A foldable lip extends from the front panel and has an opening therethrough sized to receive a condiment container. The lip has a proximal end about which the lip is connected to the panel and foldable therealong and an opposed distal end. The opening is disposed intermediate the proximal and distal ends. When moved from its original position to its operative position, the lip forms a foldable holder for receiving a condiment container having a secondary substance therein. It is understood that the lip may be disposed anywhere on the exterior of the food container and in any location so that it is foldable about a horizontal or vertical axis. In one embodiment, the back panel has a curved top edge and is seamlessly merged with the lip along the top edge concavely from both sides of the lip. This configuration provides easy access to the interior volume of the food container.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a food container having a substantially circular sidewall forming a cavity with two ends. The sidewall has a back panel, an opposing front panel and a lip. The front panel has an opening. The lip is extending upwardly from the front panel and has an opening in communication with the opening of the front panel. The food container also has a bottom closing the cavity at one end to define a volume for receiving a primary substance therein. The lip is foldable outwardly from the sidewall to form a holder for receiving a secondary substance in the opening of the lip, which is normally contained in a second container or a condiment container. In one embodiment of the invention, the opening of the lip is substantially annular in part, and the opening of the front panel of the sidewall is substantially rectangular. The second container is partially received in the opening of the front panel of the sidewall and supported therein. Moreover, the back panel has a curved top edge having a center portion and two ends. The top edge extends from the center portion concavely to each of the two ends, thereby to provide easy access to the volume of the food container and thus the primary food conduct received therein.
In a further aspect, the present invention provides a food container having a lower portion and an upper portion. The lower portion has a bottom, a body formed by at least one substantially upright sidewall, and a mouth. The upper portion has a lip extending upwardly from the mouth of the lower portion, and an opposite back panel extending upwarding from the mouth of the lower portion, wherein the back panel cooperates with the body and bottom of the lower portion to define a volume for receiving a primary substance therein. The lip has an opening and is foldable outwardly from its original position wherein it is juxtaposed to the surface of the upper portion to its operative or second position to form a holder for receiving a secondary substance in the opening of the lip. In one embodiment of the present invention, the volume for receiving a primary substance is substantially annular cross-sectionally. In another embodiment, the volume for receiving a primary substance is substantially quadrilateral cross-sectionally.